JHELUM: An impressive closing ceremony of two weeks long Pak-China Joint Military Exercise" Friendship-IV-2011 was held on Thursday.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and General Hou Shusen, Deputy Chief of General Staff of Chinese People's Liberation Army(PLA) attended the ceremony.
In a press briefing on the occasion, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said that Pak-China's relations were purely strategic and these were not against any other country and these relations would help ensure regional peace and stability.
He said that China's security was dear to Pakistan and such joint exercise would further strengthen the relations between the two countries that were facing common threat of terrorism.
He said Pakistan considered China as important in regional stability and it would continue cooperate China countering ETIM.
He said Pakistan had not training programmes with China alone but it had such courses with around 50 countries, across the world.
He said the joint exercise would enhance the professional skills and operational preparedness of the both armies and developed mutual understanding of each other's skills and procedures.
He also appreciated the morale of the troops of the both sides, adding these exercise would further boost the existing professional relationship between the two friendly armies.
Later addressing the participants of the exercise, he said" I congratulate you all on successful completion of this joint training, which is a reflection of the dedicated efforts made by each tier involved in the exercise."
He added, "I am pleased to know that all of the objectives set forth for YOUYI-2011 have very successful been achieved and as you depart, we pray for your well being and well being of your families."
He said this exercise was fourth in the series and is another step towards to better military cooperation between the two countries, adding 260 troops from China and 280 troops from Pakistan participated in the exercise.
He said, "I am confident that all of us have benefitted from this joint exercise and have exchanged our experiences and professional expertise, this interaction was a unique opportunity for the command and staff elements of both the countries to operate as an entity and this experience has further consolidated and enhanced our brotherly relations."
General Hou Shusen said the Pakistan and China were close friendly countries and in recent years, the traditional friendship and pragmatic cooperation between two armed forces were deepening with outstanding achievements, he added.
Exercise 'Friendship-IV' was a brigade level joint counter terrorism training between two armies. Troops of special services group of the both countries practiced airborne jumps, heli lifting of the troops and assault on the target during the exercise.
Senior military leadership from both sides attended the closing ceremony.
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